Black British: Features Of The Breed, Character And Care Of The Cat, Photos, Choice Of A Kitten, Reviews Of The Owners Of The British Cat

2024 Author: Bailey Albertson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 12:53

Black British cats

The British cat breed, among its many unconditional merits, is famous for its variety of colors - there are more than two hundred of them according to the breed standard. However, in this motley list, black British occupy a special place - their coat has an amazing beauty and brilliance, which all other British colors are deprived of. And the character of the black Briton, his kind disposition and quick wit are beyond praise.

Content

• 1 Breed characteristics of black British

  • 1.1 What determines the black color of a British coat

  • 1.2 External features

    1 Variations on the theme of the black British

  • 1.3 Character and behavior

    1.3.1 Video: Felix the Cat is the Perfect Black Briton

  • 1.4 Breed faults

    • 1.4.1 What diseases most often get sick
    • 1.4.2 Disqualifying faults

• 2 How to choose a black British kitten

  • 2.1 Don't chase cheapness
  • 2.2 Read the breed standard
  • 2.3 Look at the root

• 3 How to care for a black Briton

  • 3.1 Hygiene
  • 3.2 Feeding
  • 3.3 Toilet

• 4 Breeding work

  • 4.1 Breeding black British
  • 4.2 Castration and sterilization issues
• 5 Owner reviews

Breed features of black British

The British are justly proud of their "trademark" British breed of cats - it was bred in foggy Albion two centuries ago and almost instantly became the most fashionable and popular there. Representatives of the breed received tremendous success in 1871 at the famous exhibition in the English Crystal Palace, where the British shorthaired black color was also presented - one of the fundamental in this breed.

Not every professional nursery can boast of such a gorgeous black British

British black cats are second in popularity in the breed, perhaps, only to the famous blue British. They look amazing, and experts at exhibitions often give victory laurels to black British people - few can compete with them in beauty and showiness. But only experts felinologists know what a lot of work and experience must be behind the rare luck of getting Britons with perfect black wool.

What determines the black color of a British coat

Color genetics is a very interesting science. And the origin of the black color in cats has a special place in it. Black is considered one of the oldest colors in the cat family - it has existed long before wild cats became domestic.

Black Briton looks impressive and mysterious

Solid colors of cats are also called solid - from the English solid (solid, solid). Black solidi differ from other monophonic British not only in color, but also in the quality of wool - it is harder and more shiny than the usual matte British "plush". This is because microscopic granules of pigment - melanin - are located in the hair "cylinder" more densely than in all other colors. As a result, the hair becomes rather stiff and elastic, and not soft and silky, as in the British with a light coat.

One of two varieties of melanin is responsible for the black color - eumelanin, the production of which is determined by the presence of the B (Black) gene. Dominating, it just gives the coat an anthracite shine and rich blackness - if the dominant gene D (Dilutor - thinner) is also present in the animal's genetic set. The recessive form of this gene will result in dyeing the coat in blurred, as if whitened and less bright colors: faun, purple, all shades of chocolate.

Chocolate color is the same black, only with a recessive gene D

External features

Black British are strong, massive and large cats. The average weight of a sexually mature cat is seven to eight kilograms. Cats weigh less than cats by one and a half to two kilograms.

Black Briton has a heroic physique

The skeleton of all representatives of the British breed should be wide and powerful, the legs and tail should be short and thick. The muzzle is round, the nose is short, the small ears are far apart.

This is how a thoroughbred British head should (or should not) look

Experts at exhibitions make high demands on the black color of the British - these are, ideally, these handsome men:

• shiny, evenly colored from roots to tips, without color gradation and interspersed awn with a well-developed undercoat;
• paw pads, mustache and nose mirror are also painted in deep black;
• eyes - only yellow, preference is given to deep shades (dark yellow and amber, up to orange).

A real black British - only yellow-eyed

Variations on a Black British Theme

In the litters of British cats of various colors, kittens have long been born in fur coats with long hair - this is an echo of the period of the middle of the last century, when Persian blood was actively flowing into the breed. Long-haired babies were either discarded or sold much cheaper - as pets, without being allowed to participate in exhibitions and breeding activities. But thanks to the efforts of primarily American felinologists, the British with long thick hair were singled out into a separate breed, which in 2009 received authoritative recognition from the international association TICA.

British Longhair is a young but loving breed

Another attempt to diversify the old British breed was, alas, not so successful. Two decades ago, mating between British and Scots was allowed. Thus, the breeders hoped to improve both breeds: for the British one to expand the color palette, and for the Scottish one - to improve the quality of the coat and add an impressive massive skeleton. Then the so-called British Folds (including black ones) appeared as the fruits of the British love with Scottish Folds.

However, the experiment was not successful. There were more minuses in it than pluses - the fold-eared mestizos inherited not their best qualities from the original breeds: for example, diseases of the musculoskeletal system, the main breed stats and the quality of wool also deteriorated; in general, the animals began to look less bright and expressive.

Character and behavior

Black Britons are true gentlemen, aristocrats of their breed. This is manifested not only in appearance, but also in all the habits of this beautiful cat. They are self-sufficient and unobtrusive, have their own opinion on all issues. They are balanced and may seem phlegmatic, but despite their outward slowness, they think very quickly and have quick reactions.

Endowed with a pronounced sense of their own dignity - it's not for nothing that they are true British. They do not tolerate familiarity, do not look for a master's affection, but indulgently allow themselves to be stroked, and not to everyone, but only to those who deserve such royal favor. Strangers and overly active kids are kept at a distance. They never show obvious aggression, they prefer to hide and thereby escape from the conflict.

Black Briton - comfort and stability at home

Get along well with other pets, if they don't try to dominate. They do not have a constant need for communication and feel great alone.

Video: Felix the cat is the perfect black British

Breed defects

Black Britons have very few shortcomings, and the happy owners of these cats consider their pets to be ideal. Representatives of this breed are usually centenarians, they rarely get sick and delight their owners with their company for two decades, or even longer. But all this is possible only with the right breeding selection, when responsible breeders thoughtfully form parental pairs, excluding animals with poor heredity from breeding.

The breeder's task is to get not only beautiful, but also healthy offspring.

What diseases most often get sick

British cats have a strong immune system, and black British, according to the observations of breeders, it is the best of all. However, all British cats, and black ones too, are prone to some health problems:

• fungal infections;
• periodontal disease;
• obesity and related problems (heart disease, disorders of the digestive system and musculoskeletal system).

Animals at risk should be examined regularly

Disqualifying vices

The following deviations from the breed standard are considered disqualifying faults for an adult black British:

• White spots;
• non-yellow eye color or greenish rim around the iris;
• non-black color of paw pads or nose;
• non-standard number of fingers;
• tail defects and pathologies, including creases and breaks;
• significant disorders of the dental system.

Thoroughbred black Briton - the star of any show

How to choose a black British kitten

Surprising but true: many gorgeous black Britons in childhood were ordinary-looking bad kids. And from a completely adorable black kitten, a mediocre, not at all exhibition representative of the breed can grow. How not to be mistaken when choosing a kitten?

This is not an "ugly duckling", but a very thoroughbred British kitten

Don't chase cheapness

The British breed is quite popular and plentiful; both on the Internet and on the "bird" markets you will find many offers for the sale of little Britons, including black. Often documents are included with a kitten - nowadays it is not a problem to "draw" any piece of paper, the authenticity of which most buyers will not delve into.

But this little charm to the British breed, alas, has nothing

Don't want to fall prey to deceivers? Then don't give them a chance - listen to some simple recommendations:

1. A thoroughbred animal is not bought "cheaply" from random people - competent breeding work is always very expensive, and its results cost a lot of money.
2. Contact reputable breed nurseries - professional breeders are responsible for breeding and protect their reputation.
3. Buy a kitten under an agreement with a breeder - this is an elementary culture of modern breeding activities and a guarantee that you will not be deceived.
4. Study the breed standard and involve experts in the selection - with a basic knowledge of the breed, you will make a conscious, not emotional acquisition.

Read the breed standard

You are ripe for a black Briton - a wonderful choice. Which British kitten do you want to buy - short-haired or long-haired? As we have already said above, recently these are different breeds, although they differ only in the length of the fur, and for the main articles, the breed standards completely coincide.

When choosing a kitten, pay attention to the structure of its head.

The full face of the kitten's face resembles an almost regular circle with small, widely spaced ears and expressive eyes - "buttons". In childhood, the head of the British is larger than that of kittens of other breeds, and the ears are smaller. "Gives out" the breed and constitution - the body of the British kitten is well knit, the tail is relatively short, and the legs are short and plump.

Look at the root

Even if all the previous rules were followed and you still got a kitten from a good British family, then it's too early to calm down. A decent pedigree, alas, does not guarantee that a cat with a "correct" black color will grow from a cute baby. The fact is that black Britons have an interesting property to radically change color after a complete change of teeth and the onset of puberty.

Only by the age of seven to eight months it will be possible to assert with a high degree of confidence what the coat of this teenage kitten will be. Therefore, if you intend to get a show individual, buy a grown animal, the adult coat of which has already been sufficiently formed.

The grayish childish color of the British could soon turn black and sparkling

It is hardly worth worrying if single white hairs are found on the fur of the little British - they will not remain on the adult coat. Small white pins or bumps will also disappear if the skin underneath is grayish rather than pink. But whether the white "medallions" will go away, the roughness and unevenness of the color - no one can guarantee you this.

Such eyes will surely acquire an amber color.

From my own experience: I can reveal another secret that will help, even at a very tender age, to understand whether the baby's eyes will be of a rich, deep yellow color, which is so highly valued by the British, or completely light. It's simple. If the kitten's eyes are bright blue, of a wonderful heavenly shade, as they grow older, alas, they will become faded and dim - a big minus at the exhibition. The closer the color of a child's iris to gray, the better the eyes of this Briton will be painted over.

How to care for a black Briton

The popularity of black Britons is explained not only by their spectacular appearance and positive character, but also by the simplicity of keeping this breed at home.

Hygiene

The coat of the black British is more convenient to care for than that of other representatives of the breed, because it is stiff and resilient, less dirty and easier to self-clean. Some owners argue that these cats do not need to be bathed at all - they themselves perfectly solve all issues of their own hygiene. But it is not so.

Yes, the British constantly monitor the cleanliness of their fur coats, but sometimes it should still be washed with special cat shampoos. They are bathed infrequently - once every six months. An exception to this rule is preparation for the show or those cases when your pet's coat is very dirty.

Black British cats are very fond of washing

A tip from my own experience: The brownish tint on black coats can be removed by shampoos … for white coats. These funds usually do not have a banal lightening effect - but they effectively remove all elements of yellowness and brownness from the fur, make the natural color brighter. When choosing such a shampoo, pay attention to its composition - the more natural it is, the better.

Do not bathe your pet too often - it will not benefit his coat.

Short-haired Britons only need one brushing per week, the molted coat needs to be combed more often. During periods of seasonal molting, the fur coat must be combed out three times a week using a furminator. It is recommended at this time to introduce vitamin supplements into the diet, which are produced specifically for this breed.

Ears, eyes, teeth and claws require special attention - everything that the animal cannot take care of on its own. Normal hygiene involves wiping the inner surface of the ears and the perimeter around the eyes with cotton pads slightly dipped in cool boiled water or special lotion.

Feeding

The British can boast of an excellent appetite and indiscriminate food. Black Briton in this sense is by no means an exception. Both high-quality dry food and natural food are suitable for him. The pet industry offers a wide range of ready-to-eat foods specially designed for British cats - they can be found in the lines of many well-known brands.

A natural diet for a black Briton is more difficult to choose - so that it is healthy, varied and balanced. It is recommended to introduce the following products into the cat menu:

• veal or poultry without bones;
• boiled sea fish;
• low-fat dairy products;
• quail eggs;
• boiled or fresh vegetables.

Fresh meat should make up at least half of the diet of a black British

Restroom

Savvy British kittens start using the litter box early. They are very clean and easy to learn, therefore, in a new place of residence, usually there are no problems about this. The only thing worth paying attention to is that the tray should be spacious and comfortable enough, since British cats have impressive dimensions. Closed-type toilets are usually purchased for this breed.

Entrust the choice of litter for the tray to the preferences of your pet. Ask the breeder in time what type of filler the kitten has got used to, and purchase the same for him.

Tribal work

It is very difficult to obtain high-quality offspring of black color in the British breed, and sometimes even experienced professionals cannot predict the result in advance.

Breeding black British

The choice of a breeding pair is the main issue of any breeding. In our case, it is desirable that future parents meet the following requirements:

• both had a standard black color - even, without spots and shades of color;
• have already been untied and have previously given offspring;
• possessed multi-generational pedigrees, which could be used to study heredity.

The ideal parent pair for black offspring should be black.

Black kittens can be obtained from parents with any coat color, if they are carriers of the black gene. But black dad and mom, of course, give much more chances of getting black babies in the litter. Their coat will be of high quality, and the color will be rich, if in the pedigree of the producers there were as few ancestors as possible with light colors: blue, peach, etc. Even more undesirable in this case is the presence of striped, spotted and "marble" ancestors.

In such a combination, black offspring may well appear, especially if the parent with black color is prepotent

All Britons grow and develop very quickly, but they reach puberty quite late - as, indeed, in all large breeds. Only by four, and in some cases by five years, the animals are fully formed physically and psychologically. So early mating for this breed is contraindicated.

British women are very caring moms

Castration and sterilization issues

The British breed usually has a high hormonal background. Therefore, when you decide to take a little Briton into your house, decide in advance: do you plan to receive offspring from him in the future - by the way, the class of the animal and its price depend on this. if you are not going to engage in exhibitions and breeding work, it is better to neuter or neuter your pet.

The optimal age for spaying a cat is from nine months to one and a half years, when regular estrus has already begun, but there has been no birth. It is best to castrate a cat at the age of about a year.

If you do not plan breeding, neuter the animal in time

Owner reviews

The British cat will become a decoration of any home - it personifies stability, comfort and well-being. But the elegant and mysterious black British have a special charm and attractiveness - once seeing such a cat, it is impossible not to fall in love with it for life.